Weekday Reflections

September 2009

Read: "We're not big believers in the term normal. All it really means is that something falls within the norm, meaning it is average statistically. Of course, as a parent, you want all the things you find delightful about your child to be better than average or even extraordinary, which, of course, would fall under the definition of abnormal. So, you might want to toss out that normal label altogether." -- Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske, Raising a Sensory Smart Child, one of this week's featured updates to previously reviewed books

Read: "Your child might be quite bright -- even gifted -- but if his sensory problems get in the way, he may be disorganized, have poor study and work habits, and suffer from low academic achievement." -- Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske, Raising a Sensory Smart Child, one of this week's featured updates to previously reviewed books

Read: "We all need to 'get away from it all' from time to time. Your child may need this even more if she is overwhelmed by a lot of sensory stimuli. After a long day at school, she may need to go to her room to be alone for a few minutes or even a few hours to recover." -- Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske, Raising a Sensory Smart Child, one of this week's featured updates to previously reviewed books

Read: "You can have an arsenal of techniques and thousands of dollars' worth of sensory-based toys and equipment and yet, if you do not observe his behavior for subtle clues as to what's up, listen to your child to learn what really makes him 'go off,' and let him know he is loved and supported no matter what, all your sensory recipes and techniques will not have their full effect. Compassion, patience, and unconditional love are the real magic ingredients for working with any child, especially one with sensory issues." -- Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske, Raising a Sensory Smart Child, one of this week's featured updates to previously reviewed books

Read: "Each and every child is born with potential. We, the adults in that child's world, must work to make certain that there are educational opportunities in place that ensure each and every child will reach that potential." -- Rich Weinfeld and Michelle Davis, from Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book, this week's featured book.

Read: "The advocate should advise parents to keep an open mind about the IEP developed by the school system, including possible placement options. Having positions or opinions before the [multidisciplinary team] meeting is natural for parents and professionals; being stuck on positions without considering other possibilities can stymie the development of an appropriate educational program for children." -- Rich Weinfeld and Michelle Davis, from Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book, this week's featured book.

Read: "Learning is a lifelong journey. It takes place before a child enters school and, once a child has entered school, happens not only within the walls of the school building but also at home and in the community, before and after the school day." -- Rich Weinfeld and Michelle Davis, from Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book, this week's featured book.

Read: "All of us act as advocates when we express our point of view wherever we live, work, and play." -- Rich Weinfeld and Michelle Davis, from Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book, this week's featured book.

Read: "Having a child with special medical needs is ... hard. And rewarding. Faith stretching and future blurring. Utterly challenging and relationship deepening. Scary and full of unknowns. Dream altering and hope holding. Always different yet full of new normals. Beautiful and amazing." -- From the post Holding Out Hope on the blog MckMama